


Meanings

by eerian_sadow



Series: Avalon [102]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Gen, boy does megatron change in this verse, reassurance, searching for purpose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-01
Updated: 2009-12-01
Packaged: 2018-10-14 22:01:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10545044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eerian_sadow/pseuds/eerian_sadow
Summary: Thundercracker is searching for some kind of meaning in their new life with the Decepticons.





	

**Author's Note:**

> this is pre-war, but only just barely. the Decepticons are still being looked at as nothing more than a group of crazy radicals by the government and Megatron is just begining to bolster his ranks with Cybertronians who aren't quite true believers in his cause. He's young here, and not yet power mad.

Thundercracker stood on a ledge, sheltered from view by some piece of overhanging architectural ornamentation, and stared down at the city below. It was a skeleton of what it used to be; broken down buildings reflecting a memory of greatness and frightened mechs and femmes scurrying from one to another, praying not to be seen. He hadn’t seen Polyhex at its prime, when it was a booming industrial city and _the_ place for a mech to go to make his fortune, but he could imagine the better times. It was a depressing sight, even if it did completely embody what they had begun fighting for.

He tried hard not to think about how it would have been him--and Starscream--down there fighting for starvation rations if not for Skywarp.

“You’re rather visible from the street.”

Thundercracker was startled enough that he had to grab the overhang to keep from falling. He hadn’t expected anyone to come looking for him. “No one looks up but Decepticons,” he replied.

“The security forces will learn to.” Megatron climbed through the broken window that had been Thundercracker’s exit to the ledge as well. “What troubles you? I’ve seen you out on this ledge often lately.”

“How much do you know about us, sir?” It was strange, to be talking to Megatron like he would one of the other soldiers, but his leader had asked him a direct question. “About my trine, I mean.”

“Your past means little, except as motivation for the cause. I haven’t pried into it.” Megatron angled himself so that he could see the sky while Thundercracker watched the ground.

The flier approved of the tactics. If they were going to be exposed, and they were, then the most likely avenues of attack should be watched. “Skywarp’s rich. The only reason his creators didn’t live in the Towers was because they weren’t born into the nobility. Starscream and I aren’t. If it weren’t for Warp, we’d be down there scraping for fuel, too.”

Megatron made a thoughtful noise.

“His creators always thought it was just a game. A couple of charity cases to play with until he got bored and moved on to other things.” The Seeker shook his head. “They didn’t understand. He never did anything for us because we were poor. He just had something we needed and gave it to us because he wanted to. And none of that changed when they deactivated and he inherited the family business.”

“A true friend, then.” The Decepticon leader offlined his optics for a brief moment. “My creators were like that. They were betrayed and murdered by their good friend.”

Thundercracker didn’t know what to say. He had been suspicious of Skywarp at first--everyone at the academy had known that the black Seeker came from credits--but he couldn’t imagine killing the other mech. “I’m sorry.”

Megatron nodded, as if that was the answer he had been expecting. “The irony never escaped me.”

Silence fell between them after that. Thundercracker didn’t know what was safe to say and Megatron didn’t give him any indication. They simply stood on the ledge together, unmoving until the Decepticon leader spotted an incoming air patrol.

“Come. We need to be inside before they pass over us.”

Thundercracker ducked through the window first, knowing that is blue plating stood out against the dull outer wall like a sign advertising a Decepticon presence in the building. The other mech’s grey and black plating would give him a few more moments of anonymity before being seen. Still, Megatron wasted no time in ducking through the window as soon as Thundercracker’s wings and pedes cleared the frame. They moved quickly into the interior of the building and away from the easy visibility of the window.

The Seeker turned away from his leader when they reached the hallway leading to the rooms they were using as the barracks. He wanted to go find Skywarp and Starscream, so that the black Seeker could fuss over him and the red and blue Seeker could rant at him and he could just forget--for a little while--that he had been a sparkbeat away from being tossed out of the academy and back onto the streets before he met Skywarp.

He remembered far too clearly what it was like to be one of the starving masses.

“Thundercracker.” The Seeker froze at Megatron’s voice. “I do not make the mistake of confusing you with Flashpoint. I have seen you at your wing mate’s side when he was injured. Such compassion is an admirable trait--and something I believe this army needs more of.”

“Sir?” He understood the words, but Megatron’s meaning was escaping him. He turned back to the grey mech.

“Your military skills are impressive and unmistakable. But your other, less martial, skills are equally important.” Megatron put a hand on the blue Seeker’s shoulder for a brief moment. “I value them. Possibly more than all of Starscream’s elaborate aerial maneuvers or Shockwave’s tactics combined.”

Thundercracker was silent for a long moment, contemplating what his leader meant. Surely Megatron didn’t really think that he was _that_ valuable. Finally, he said, “Thank you, sir. I’ll try not to let you down.”


End file.
